Amazing Race 14, Episode 3 Commentary – Watch Out Victor, It Could Be You in the Next Coffin …

OK folks, I bet you are wondering – what is the Top Chef/Survivor dude doing with our man Phil? Isn’t this LauraBelle’s gig? Well, first of all – hello to you too. Second of all, I already spoke to her and my dabbling in all things Racey is fine by her. In fact, it is encouraged. It’s double the Racing fun. LB’s Recap and my Random Thoughts.

So – first things first. I am a gigantic Amazing Race fan. No, not that I am as big as Hagrid and own a TV, but just a regular-sized human being that is way too into the Amazing Race. In fact, sent an entry video in for Amazing Race 3. Clearly, I wasn’t picked. Not bitter. Moving on.

So this week’s episode was very light on outcome drama. Anyone who has ever watched this show knew that unless someone “pulled a Dallas” and lost their bag (nice try, Erik) or turned around the wrong way and drove a couple of hours out of the way (no Debbie and Biancas here), that Brad and Victoria were doomed. So with the elimination safely in the bag, the Amazing Editors had to find drama somewhere…but how?

Thanks Victor.

I think this makes Nick and Starr’s win (and by extension, the Linz Family) all the more impressive. Think about every pair of siblings that you know – or your own if you have them. Now picture spending many, many hours essentially joined at the hip. Dirty. Sweaty. Stuck in plane, train or stuffy cabs. Solving clues. Sliding down hills chased by wheels of cheese. With. Your. Brother. Scary, right?

Well, that is the Saga of Tammy – the Little Sister that Was Right. I felt badly for them when their early flight had to double back and put them behind three teams and on the level with four others. However, once Victor decided that the Amazing Race had changed its colors to red and white…and then decided to not admit his mistake and tromp all over those woods like his own version of the Blair Witch sequel? Well, he kind of lost me there. Although Tammy’s increasing aggressiveness with her brother – “I promise you they wouldn’t have arrows in both directions” – was pretty awesome.

Early in the episode, I wrote down “Hendekea and Azaria II” in regards to Tammy and Victor. That may be an insult to AR12’s siblings, but the dynamic seems the same. Needless to say, Luke was not the only deaf person on the race this leg. Yes, I went there. Luke heard a whole lot more than Victor did this time through, even if he didn’t have the ability to actually hear.

A bunch of random thoughts during Episode 3 –

* Whatever happened to the “eat, sleep and mingle with other teams” portion of the show, I miss that.

* Luke wants to better communicate with others – I hate to ask this question, but…why not learn to read lips?

* Anyone else dig the split screens? Although I expect Tony Almeida to show up any minute.

* There are too many teams that I can’t follow this season because they look too much alike – the blondes, the redheads, the stuntmen. It is rather distracting.

* Anyone else peg Brad as a recovering addict? I didn’t see that coming.

* I felt so badly for Mike as he donned that gymnastics outfit. National TV, dude.

* Nice giant, Angelina Jolie-esque, tattoo on Kisha.

* I LOVE the giant Brasov sign, a la the Hollywood sign.

* Did you get some awful stereotyping vibe from the gypsies? I kind of cringed at that. But the blood spurting from the coffin tiles were fun. I half expected Probst’s voice to talk about Vampire Puzzle Pieces.

* Speaking of stereotyping – I love how Erik assumed his fannypack was stolen by the gypsies in the middle of a TV show shoot. It was as if he thought he was in an actual slum or something. Dude, you lost it. Suck it up.

* Bad Cab Driver Sign #43 – If you have to utter the phrase – “Why are we driving on the sidewalk?”

* Drama King Victor – “I don’t care if I die” – although I am impressed that he found that key! That would have taken me so long you could have just put me in one of those coffins.

* No shock that Brad and Victoria came in the darkness – I am a bit surprised they had to do the task – and why was Brad covered in blood? Is he a vampire?

* I did kind of enjoy Phil’s fake out of Victor and Tammy on the mat. Phil can be so cruel sometimes!

* I am willing to give the spinning globe and the techno intro a chance – but I sure do miss the old opening.